


High-Functioning

by Raconteur11037



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Asperger Syndrome, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Spencer Reid, Canon Autistic Character, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 23:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raconteur11037/pseuds/Raconteur11037
Summary: He hated the term "high-functioning". Because really, "high-functioning" was just another way of saying "able to pass as normal". But Reid was anything but normal, not that he even really knew what "normal" looked like, or what was so desirable about it.--Because this fandom needs more autistic Reid. As an aspie myself, I identify a lot with Reid, and while I'm sure MGG and the writers have good intentions, there are some things I wanted to clear up about what Asperger's is like. This is somewhere between a character study and a vent, but I hope y'all enjoy anyway.





	High-Functioning

_Asperger Syndrome: discovered in 1944 by Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, who would eventually give it it's name, though it was initially referred to as 'autistic psychopathy'. A developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social skills and physical coordination, hyperfocused interests, and repetitive behaviours._

All of that made sense to Spencer (aside from maybe the 'psychopathy' part.)

But what didn't make sense to him was that, in all he had read on the subject (which, for him, was quite a lot), it was almost invariably referred to as a 'milder' firm of autism. It was referred to as being on the "high-functioning" end of the autism spectrum.

Spencer Reid had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at the age of five, just before he skipped the first of what would eventually turn out to be six grades. He was called a 'savant', or 'gifted', or a 'genius', 'prodigy', the list went on, but it didn't change the fact that at the end of the day, he was still autistic. "Asperger Syndrome" wasn't just code for "child prodigy" like the people around him, including his parents, seemed to think.

He still had trouble interacting with his peers. He was still notoriously clumsy. He still couldn't be touched unexpectedly without feeling the unbearable urge to crawl out of his skin, or hear loud sounds or see bright lights without wanting to lock himself in a dark, silent room for the rest of time. He had meltdowns, and days when everything was _**too much**_ , or _**not enough**_ , and even his so-called "genius brain" couldn't make it better. He had days where he would find himself incapable of speech (much to the surprise and occasional relief of those around him), or days when all he could seem to muster was parroting the words of others. He liked to flap his hands, to spin in chairs, to grow his hair out just so he could more easily feel it between his fingers. He liked to stick to what he knew-- his clothes, his routines, his ongoing love affair with books and pen and paper. And, of course, anyone who knew Spencer Reid knew that he was an endless source of information on the seemingly endless list of topics that had struck his fancy at one point or another.

He hated the term "high-functioning". Because really, "high-functioning" was just another way of saying "able to pass as normal". But Reid was anything but normal, not that he even really knew what "normal" looked like, or what was so desirable about it. He didn't think of his autism as being a good thing or a bad thing-- it simply was what it was. He simply was who he was. He didn't know how to be anyone else. (Not that he would want to.)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm leaving this as a one-shot for now, but if you guys like this or the muse strikes me again, I would be more than happy to write more autistic Reid. Possibly including Moreid and/or Reid's adorable friendship with (fellow aspie) Garcia.


End file.
